Sony CFD-S350 CD/Cassette Portable Boombox (Silver)

Reviews of Sony CFD-S350 CD/Cassette Portable Boombox (Silver)

1.) An autistic child's bulletproof bedtime buddy.
Reviewed by: lighten_up_already2 Kirkland, WA USA
Rating:
My oldest son is autistic and insists on listening to the same CD on repeat-mode every night as he drifts off to sleep. He has one of these players in his room. Usually we turn it off after he goes to sleep but sometimes it playes all night.

We are well into our second year of this routine and this CD player has performed flawlessly. We don't let him have original CDs but rather burn the two tracks he listens to over and over to a special CD and let him have it. He has worn out several CDs through scratching and smudging but this CD player keeps going and going.

And, that's another plus, this player will play a CD that is very smudged and scratched.

We were so impressed with this unit that we bought a second one. It has been used extensively and still works like new.

I've occasionally used the radio function and have found that it pulls in stations very well.

My only complaint is that I found the controls confusing. I wish the symbols on the buttons were actually a contrasting color, not just impressions molded into plastic which are very difficult if not impossible to see in low light. Of course, if you use yours every day you'll probably get all your favorite functions down my memory before long.

It only has two speakers that are about 4 inches, so don't expect rumbling bass. In fact, you could probably easily find a CD boombox that sounds better, but probably not at this price point, and when it comes to sheer durability I don't know how this unit can be beat.


2.) Great Sound!
Reviewed by: Liz Florida
Rating:
I've owned several multi format players over the years and this one sounds the best of all of them. It delivers sharp, crisp sounds without sounding tinny or like it's in a barrel. The bass boost works fine on my unit. If you can't tell a difference you might want to get your ears checked.

I like it because it's small enough to fit on my desk comfortably and it can be carried easily. The handle lays down flat when you don't need it. The antenna folds away nicely under the handle when the radio isn't in use. The earphone jack is placed nicely on top and you don't have to go hunting for it. The power and the sleep buttons are conveniently placed side by side by themselves so you don't accidentally hit them and turn the player/radio off. All in all I like the placement of the buttons, someone put a lot of thought into the placement and use of the buttons when designing this nice little machine.

The LCD display is easy to read, it has larger than average letters and numbers. If you didn't have instructions for this unit you can almost figure it out without them. It's very intuitive and user friendly.

The remote is not too small or too large, and the buttons are a good size, not too small to press easily and not too close together. They're also very clearly labeled so you know which buttons control which functions.


I still have plenty of cassette tapes left and they all sound very good on this unit. It doesn't hiss when playing them. CD's sound clear without any extraneous noises and the high/low range sounds good to my ears. If you want some piece of an audiophiles dream then go pay the price for it. I like listening to all kinds of music from Irish drinking songs to trance and it all sounds great to me on this little box.

I haven't used any batteries yet, I bought mine for indoor use, to listen to my CD's and tapes.

I give this unit five stars for:

Good design set up
Size
Ease of use and functions
Sound quality
Price

Follow up: December 23, 2006

I'm still really enjoying my little machine. I really really like the repeat function. It also has a repeat shuffle function that shuffles the order of tracks around while it repeats and that's kinda neat. There's another function that's really great and that's the programmable track repeat. You can program it to repeat a particular track however many times you want. I tried several CD's on 'repeat all' and it kept playing the CD over and over again til I stopped it. Out of curiosity mostly I let the same CD run, all day long and half the night, just to see if it would do it. It did. I am still very pleased with this unit and its' performance and would buy it again.

October 12, 2007

My little machine is still going strong. I've had no problems with it whatsoever. All in all if it bit the dust today, I will have gotten my money's worth from it. I've used it to death. I've played CDs, and tapes, and listened to the radio, LOL. It's been going nonstop since I took it out of the box;)

Edit August 15, 2008

This little box is still going strong. There are those who said there's no repeat function.

[...]

My little box is still going strong. if it bit the dust tomorrow, I've gotten my money's worth, LOL. I've played this little box a countless number of hours. I'm still very pleased with the performance.


Update December 16, 2009

This box is still going strong:) Still plays CDs and the readio works great. The tape player still plays tapes as good as it did when I bought it. This little box has been one of the best investments I've made for playing music:)


3.) Very Satisfied
Reviewed by: Maryland Gentleman MD
Rating:
I had the previous model and like this one better. It works very well sounds great and has a very easy to use remote. I am not familiar with all the different bells and whistles higher models have. But can tell you this one works well and I am very satisfied with it more so than the previous model.

4.) Don't Hesitate
Reviewed by: Barbara Powell San Leandro, CA United States
Rating:
High quality sound. Easy to operate. Very portable. Attractive design. This is a very good product, especially at this price. Before I ordered this from Amazon, I went to Target to get a CD player, and they had a less expensive model, also a Sony. I asked the salesperson if he could recommend it, and he said, "It's one of the best we have!" When I got it home and tried a CD on it the sound was so chinzy and crummy I returned it the next day. I then searched Amazon, and seeing all the favorable customer reviews for the CFD-S350 I bought it, and I'm not sorry at all. The sound was so much better. Don't hesitate to buy this one.

5.) rich in texture
Reviewed by: zombiexii Miami FL
Rating:
Great Boombox for listening to Techno music on
This model has a a Digital Synthesized tuner with 30 presets
It projects sound and has large speakers and LCD display.
Easy to record on too. lol

The *Mega Bass* sounds tiight. This small lightwieght box sounds as good or better than my 32 watt Panasonic heavy clunker


One of the best smaller boxes out there. Snatch 'em up.

6.) Excellent...a must have for the normal listener!
Reviewed by: G. Leahy Nashville, TN
Rating:
If you're looking for a 'real Boom-Box',as in those 70's models with the huge bass, pass this up! If you really want a player with true fidelity that will leave your ears intact...this one is for you! It will fill an entire home with sound that's equal to some of the best eq1uipment out there...and can be as soft as a lullaby, depending on the volume.

Controls are very easy to reach...and the remote is a bonus that Sony put in as an afterthought, I think. For a price like this, it comes with a great radio, cassette deck, a sleep feature,and others like CD shuffle programs that I've yet to use! For the money, it's just what I wanted! You won't be sorry that you bought this one at all!

7.) Great for the price range
Reviewed by: bigsleep39 Ann Arbor, MI United States
Rating:
I am very satisfied with this boombox. I use it at work with headphones, so I can't speak to the power or mega bass, but the controls are much easier to use and more "common sense" than the last couple RCAs I've owned. Also, the antenna is a bit longer than most boomboxes this size, so I get better radio reception indoors than I've gotten with any other. Plays CD-R/RW in digital audio, but not MP3. Not listed in the product description: radio tuner has programmable memory up to 20 FM & 10 AM stations.

8.) Incredible value
Reviewed by: Porgy Tirebiter Santa Fe, NM USA
Rating:
I bought this boombox for a construction project where I didn't want to risk damage to a "good" stereo system. But this little Sony box sounded so great, when the construction was over I replaced my "good" system with this one and have had it for over a year with zero problems. I just can't believe what great sound comes from these simple speaker elements. It's amazing. Long live Sony engineers!

9.) Great product
Reviewed by: Saffi LA, USA
Rating:
Great sound, doesn't take up much space, practical. The remote control allows me to control the music from a distance. I'm really happy with this product.

10.) Great for the price!
Reviewed by: boomsmama Edwardsville, IL United States
Rating:
Can't beat the price,the sound and quality. I love Sony products, always reliable. Easy to carry around,not too big but will sit nicely anywhere without falling over.

11.) Sony CFD-S350 Boom Box
Reviewed by: Robert C. Thatcher
Rating:
I was very happy with its perpormance. It records very well from radio &
CD onto cassette. Sound was very good. The only problem I found was identifying the correct button to fast forward ,rewind,play etc. in a dimmly lit room, the markings on the buttons were the same color as the buttons , but outside of that I was a very pleased with the product

12.) Awsome price, Awsome sound, Awsome brand, what more could you want?
Reviewed by:
Rating:
I have had 2 sony boomboxes in the past and this is the best sounding from them all, the twin 4" wide convex speakers produce a very filling sound not too bassy and not too tiny, JUST RIGHT!! And a small, handy remote. A tape deck, am/fm tuner and cd player with cd/r/rw support and all produced with a 90 watt PMPO output.
Shuffle, repeat, repeat1, program functions all availible.
Sleep function nice.

If your looking for a affordable portable go for this one.
Very very good


13.) Awesome and easy to use!
Reviewed by: Jen L San Bruno, US, Canada
Rating:
I use this boombox in my classroom for my Pre-K child to listen to stories on tape/CD. The sound quality is awesome and very easy to use - just don't forget to switch between CD and tape! I did and thought it was broken - duh! I also bought on Amazon a spliter for the headphones so 2 children can listen at one time.

14.) Excellent Product AMAZING Value
Reviewed by: Temple Parents' Association President New Rochelle, NY
Rating:
Great CD player, super fast shipping, love the remote control and easy to use features. Great sound, AWESOME price shipped to my door and FREE super saver shipping! A+++ AMAZON!!!!

15.) It's value for money!
Reviewed by: Jane Ma
Rating:
I bought it for my child to listen to the stories and music during the bedtime. I would say this is a smart choice, from the feature of the product, the quality of the sound and the price, everything is fine. It's also easy to carry around.

16.) terrific value!
Reviewed by: B. Dougherty
Rating:
My 11 yr old son received this as a gift and absolutely loves it! The sound has good quality, its easy to use and it fits easily on his dresser. Good quality for the price.

17.) Just buy it!
Reviewed by: Walda Wethersfield, Ct USA
Rating:
This is a very good CD-TAPE-RADIO player, I`m amazed about quality a price. S&H was $13,-, but what the heck:-))) I`ll buy another one for sure, the sound is very good!

18.) Well Designed Portable Sound System
Reviewed by: Richard Robins Palos Verdes, CA USA
Rating:
We bought this product as a replacement for another Sony Boombox. We love this sound system, which we use on our deck day and night in the summer time. We store it in our master bath to use there too. The product was designed for remote conditions and uses "D" cell batteries as a back-up power supply. We keep a large supply of batteries on hand for emergencies.

This product is an exceptional value.

19.) so far so good
Reviewed by: victor ross
Rating:
I gave it to my 8 year old grandchild for Hanukkah. So far he loves it as it is playing all his favorite recorded CD's and CD-R's. I think the style is a bit bulky, however for this price the sound is better than I had a right to expect. As always Amazon was great to work with and even though I took advantage of the free shipping the item came quickly.

20.) Sony Portable Boombox
Reviewed by: Maureen B. Jones
Rating:
I brought this boombox for my husband and he is very happy with it it is easy to operate he really loves that it has
a remote we are both over 65 and to find something that easy to operate was a real plus very happy with this purchase

21.) I love it!
Reviewed by: snowman NYC, USA
Rating:
This is a good buy, worth every penny I spent. sound quality is good, radio reception is excellent. You can easily move it around the house, so you can use it both in the bedroom and exercise place. Highly recommend it to everybody!

22.) Great Boom Box
Reviewed by: Patricia Weckerly
Rating:
I bought this item as a gift and the recipient in Texas loved it.I was there for a week and had the chance to observe it and listen to it and the sound was very good on both radio and cd player. Wish it was mine.

23.) Boombox
Reviewed by: Ed the builder Belmont, NC
Rating:
My wife bought this item for my her sister, who was recovering from surgery and recommended it. So we ordered it. I am delighted with it, especially since it has a remote control. One of my old cassette players died and the only one I had left was AIWA portable. I still have some audio cassettes which I am slowly converting to CD.

24.) Excellent Sony Portable CD/Cassette player
Reviewed by: R. Segal Philadelphia, PA
Rating:
Bought it as a gift for my daughter to use at work. It's bigger than she wanted, but otherwise she is absolutely delighted.

Excellent product.

25.) Great product!
Reviewed by: Jane Doe
Rating:
I bought the refurbished one because I could not afford a new one. I just got it and it works great! I hope it continues to do so. I know some people had problems with theirs. I like the same 90 day Warranty as a new one.

26.) a great kids room boombox
Reviewed by: What Jules has to say Glendale, Arizona United States
Rating:
My 10 year old daughter loves this boombox. It sounds great, works great, and gets great radio reception. works with batteries or plug-in. Good quality, as I think is usual with Sony products.

27.) Hot Flash Insomnia life saver
Reviewed by: Janie HD Nantucket
Rating:
I listen to Audio books on CD's at night to help me deal with insomnia associated with hot flashes. What's important to me is can I use the controls in the dark, without turning the light on. I have learned how to push the correct buttons without being able to see the controls, and I have noticed there is a bump on the 'play' button, which helps me to orient my fingers. The sound is fine. It's a little big for my nightstand, but It serves my purpose nicely. If you like to be read to sleep at night it will work for you!

28.) Great system with remote
Reviewed by: Whitney Severna Park, MD
Rating:
Love the remote that comes with. I didn't expect that. My daughter listens to music at night, so she can turn the volume up and down from her bed. Very nice.

29.) Excellent Sony stereo system...why complain??
Reviewed by: Matt Tawesson Macomb, IL, USA
Rating:
I bought this system at my local K-Mart store, and really do love it. It plays CDs great, and the remote is excellent as well. The previous one I had (a similar style) did also have a remote, but it was smaller than the one that this system has, and had fewer buttons on it. I gave the other one away to a friend, and this one has the same features that my other one had: wide directional convex speakers, larger display, and more buttons on the remote. The Mega Bass is okay if you're listening to tapes or CDs with regular headphones, but if you want to experience more bass sounds via headphones, you should get a set of headphones that provide extra bass. Tapes that are recorded on this system sound great, however I don't use the tape deck very often. CD-Rs that I played on this stereo have excellent sound as well. For those of you who have complained that CD-R or RW discs won't play on this system, you must make sure that when you burn music onto such discs, that they are finalized properly, or else they won't play on the system. Nice system, and well worth the price, too. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a portable CD boombox system.

30.) Sony Boombox
Reviewed by: D. Lochtie SeattleWA
Rating:
The boombox arrived in a couple of days and was everything we wanted. A really great product.

31.) Can't go wrong with Sony
Reviewed by: Bill Johnson Calilfornia
Rating:
My Sony boombox is an excellent buy. Tone is loud and clear. Operation is easy. I have never gone wrong with a Sony product but have had many, many problems with the "sound alike" product Sanyo.

32.) Very good performance for the price.
Reviewed by: Lotus-Seven
Rating:
This Sony CFD-S350 CD/Cassette Portable Boombox was purchased for my wife's basement sewing room. It was purchased to replace an old Panasonic radio/cassette player that finally died after 20 years of use! The CFD sounds remarkably good. It will produce high sound levels with minimal distortion. The "Megabass'" setting makes a noticeable, but not excessive extension of the lower frequencies. It does not cause any narrow resonance peaks (that some people prefer and expect) but does extend and flatten out the low end of the spectrum.

The Sony's FM sensitivity is good and the AM sensitivity is fair. The CD player works well as does the cassette deck My wife has a stack of old favorite cassettes that haven't been dubbed to CDR's yet so the cassette deck was essential.

At this price point, the CFD-S350 is a bargain. My only tiny disappointment was that Sony didn't include the two AAA batteries for the remote. We have many Sony products, and I always thought that it was classy of Sony to always include the remote control batteries. This is our very first Sony product that didn't come with the remote batteries. On the other hand, many comparable "boomboxes" don't come with a remote control at all, so I guess I have no right to complain.



33.) Sony CD/Cassette,AM/FM Radio Boombox
Reviewed by: Judy in Cathedral City Cathedral City, CA
Rating:
Looked in stores to find this exact product, total waste of time. I am very happy with the product, easy to use and is exactly what I wanted, plus, it was shipped right away. Could not have asked for more and the price was right.

34.) boombox Sony CDF-S350 portable (silver)
Reviewed by: Susan R. Wyatt bakersfield, ca United States
Rating:
extremely satified with this purchase. It arrived in a timely manner and in excellent condition.

35.) very good
Reviewed by: C. G. Royal stl, mo usa
Rating:
gift for my 84 yr old mom. she even taught herself how to program stations :-)
loves the product

36.) Purchased as a Christmas gift. Recipient LOVED it; got great reception in an area where this is difficult.
Reviewed by: Gloria A. Hein Lake Wylie, SC
Rating:
I purchased this item as a gift from my brother to my sister-in-law. She loved it! Her "up north" house is in PA and reception is not generally good. This player worked great!

37.) Good Bang For The Buck
Reviewed by: Gary L. Lemke
Rating:
Mine arrived just 4 days after I ordered it. After searching the net and stores I felt this one was a pretty good value. The sound is very good for the price. Many past reviews have stated unit has"weak" bass output but for $65 I think it's just fine. Rich full sound CD works good too. The only negative I would give this unit is no backlight for the display. Still I am very satisfied with this Sony boombox.

38.) Superior product, according to my brother
Reviewed by: Crankygrandma Boston, MA
Rating:
I bought this to replace one my brother lost in a flood. I had no idea how fussy he was, but was trying not to spend too much. He was SO pleased, and told me it was a superior product. I never heard it, but I know he buys used tapes and will use that feature more than most people.

39.) best sound
Reviewed by: Ben K
Rating:
love the quality and sound...bought this for my mom and me as it has a remote...for the price it is great...

40.) Mrs.
Reviewed by: Pamela S. Bylone
Rating:
I am very happy with the performance of this radio/CD/Casette player. I have a more expensive one and it is horrible on reception where as this radio gives really good reception most of the time without even pulling the antenna up. It is light and I am very happy with it all around

Pamela S. Bylone
Vineland, NJ

41.) Santa Cruz
Reviewed by: Charles Neville Owen
Rating:
It's what I was looking for. It does what they said it would do and works well.

42.) Sony CD player
Reviewed by: C. Chan Union City, CA USA
Rating:
Great product. Sound quality is A+. First time ordering through Amazon and it went smoothly, no problem whatsoever. This CD player was recommended to me by a friend who does a lot of purchases through Amazon.

43.) Great Music
Reviewed by: S. Taran
Rating:
I purchased this for my uncle who recently suffered a traumatic brain injury. He loves music and has a lot of cassettes as well as CDs filled with his favorite songs. This Sony combination CD/cassette player with am/fm radio allows him to have all of his music with him as he continues to rehabilitate.

44.) I love it!
Reviewed by: Royann Maxson
Rating:
I had read the other reviews and was a bit hesitant but went ahead and got it. I love it and am glad to have purchased it. The sound quality is good, it's easy to use and would recommend it the others.

45.) CD cassette portable player
Reviewed by: Diva hasan
Rating:
It's nice and compacted. It's just what I was looking for to play CDs. It has a great sound and fits perfectly in my
bedroom. I highly recommend it.

46.) Very Pleased
Reviewed by: Augustus
Rating:
Hi. I just want to say that I purchased this item as a gift for a friend, and she said that she is very happy with it.

She did say (as some other's did as well) that the Bass Boost feature did not seem to make any real difference in the sound quality, but that she was very pleased with how it sounded, never the less.

47.) Worth the money
Reviewed by: Thorg Newbury Park, CA United States
Rating:
This Sony CFD-S350 may cost a bit more than some of the competition but I think its quality is worth it.

48.) Go for This One
Reviewed by: Old Joe Prattville, AL USA
Rating:
This boombox doesn't have all the graphic equalizer volume controls that others have, but who needs 'em? It plays my CD's and tapes and sounds just fine to me. The remote control works great and the radio can handle 30 preset stations.

49.) Excellent Item
Reviewed by: King Heaven
Rating:
I found this to be of very high quality. The bass is too good and sound clarity is very good too.

50.) Worth Every Penny.
Reviewed by: Jimmy Porter Dubois, Wy USA
Rating:
I originally shopped by price, but found they all had lousy recommendations. So I then went to the highest rated maker, found this CD player and it had no negative reports. I bought it and when I saw the look on my ladies face, I knew I had made the best buy. Sony cost more, but you get so much more and so did I this evening. I recommend this purchase.

51.) Good Product Slow Shipping
Reviewed by: Charles W. Weber Raleigh, NC
Rating:
The product is Good. You push free shipping. However, if you accept it you wait several days to ship it, even though you say it is in stock and available to ship the next day.

52.) Great for the price
Reviewed by: W. Weeks Maryland, USA
Rating:
I found the Sony CFD-S350 CD on Amazon and compared it to a couple of other models. I have always had good experiences with Sony products and the quality and longevity has always been good. This little boom box for the money is great! My only negative feedback is that the "mega bass" button doesn't seem to make any difference. The sound is a little thin. But for the price you get cd, cassette, and a digital tuner on the radio, plus a remote. I found the radio to pick up well and am pleased with my purchase.

53.) Great!
Reviewed by: Kari L. Mitchell Minneapolis, MN USA
Rating:
My son has this boom-box, and has left it out in the rain several times. It still works through all he's put it through, including the rain and dropping it.

54.) A good value overall, would recommend
Reviewed by: Christine Grundy Quincy, MA
Rating:
I recently purchased this item (Sony CFD-S350) and also the Sony CFDS01. This one, the 350, has somewhat better sound and overall feel of buttons than the S01. However, it is not as nice as my old Sony ZS-D55.

Since I am spoiled by using "vintage" equipment, these controls do have a somewhat cheap feel (it is an inexpensive item, after all). The tape play button is finnicky, about half the time won't "catch" unless it is pressed just right. The control marks are not as clear as I would like, but that is a flaw on most devices these days.

On the bright side, this box is compact, very lightweight, has a comfortable handle, and has had flawless playback. I get no CD skips when I move or bump the box. The radio reception is good, the station preset is easy to do and remembers even if unplugged. The tape player is free of any mechanical noise so far. Because it is easier to carry, I find I am using this item more than my ZS-D55. I would recommend it as a good value for the price point.





55.) Practical Choice
Reviewed by: C. Shaw
Rating:
This boombox replaced my Sony CFD-E90, which I really liked but could no longer stand the infamous "No Disc" message that it gives. So far the new one works fine, even if the sound is not as good as my old unit. It will probably just take some time to get used to.

56.) SO FAR SO GOOD
Reviewed by: GeorgeButel Houston, TX and Omaha, AR
Rating:
My Koss boombox finally gave out after 25,000 hours, and I needed something immediately for my two parrots, so I got one of these locally, despite some negative reviews on Amazon.com. Lighten_up_already2's review convinced me that the Sony product would be fine because I use the product the same way: cds get played on "repeat all" endlessly for my parrots, and sometimes for me (relaxation cds at night.) One Godsend about this product is that it "remembers" whatever mode you had it set on before you turned it off; since my usage is usually "Repeat All," this saves me the hassle of resetting the mode every time I turn it on again.

Using an audio cd, I compared the sound it produced side-by-side with several of its competitors at Fry's, and the Sony sounded better. I couldn't tell about the bass in the store. The first thing I did when I got the product home was to test the Mega Bass function, because several reviewers have commented that it didn't do anything. The birds and I listened to some old Boney M and the bass DID get "enhanced"--not much, but I could detect it.

In the product literature, Sony claims a frequency response of 20 to 20K HZ for cds, but little bitty boom box speakers couldn't possibly take advantage of that; the audio power specs are what to look at: "With 3.2-ohm loads, both channels driven from 150 - 6,300 Hz; rated 1.8 W per channel-minimum RMS power, with no more than 10% total harmonic distortion in AC operation." If ~150 Hz is the lowest bass that it produces, then you are not going to notice much bass under ANY circumstances (there isn't much to enhance.)

The <10% THD must be a misprint; I can't conceive of a Sony product that bad, even a cheap little boombox. I have several Sony products, including an old ES-series tape deck, and I have never had any trouble with any of them.

I was disdainful at first that the product included a remote, but, when it doesn't disappear, it turns out to be useful. The controls on the unit itself are a little awkward and non-intuitive. I don't like the way the cd player part opens and closes: you have to press on a certain spot to get it to open, and it is spring operated. The Koss was much better.

One thing that surprises me, considering the historical relationship between Japan and China, is that the product is made in China. I would have more faith in it if it were made in Japan, so I will be watching (or listening, rather) closely and will update this review if necessary. The Koss that died after serving my birds and me so well for so long was also made in China, however.

57.) It's the great speakers!
Reviewed by: Spirit Bear
Rating:
It's no BOSE, but Sony came up with a wonderful thing when they invented these speakers! The depth and detail of the sound, at almost any volume, is pretty remarkable for a boom box at this price. This is an older model, which isn't readily available anymore. The models Sony came up with to replace this one just can't compare to the sound quality of this one.

I'm a licensed massage therapist. I use one of these in my office, and one when I do outdoor chair massage. They both deliver excellent sound in both settings. And even after a few mishaps when the unit fell off a table, it still keeps going strong! Just use extra care when opening and closing the CD cover on top of the unit. The plastic hinges on that cover seem to be the weakest link of the unit.

58.) Just lucky?
Reviewed by: margotbean Erie, PA United States
Rating:
I got this as a gift 2 1/2 years ago, and it still works great - no CD problems at all. Another (different brand) I bought started to skip within 6 months of purchase, and another Sony (different model) started to skip the same damn day I bought it!

I sympathize with the other reviewers who had problems... I'm still looking for a second boom box, and I'm hesitant to buy this one again...even though I've had no problems with the first one.

59.) Did the job!
Reviewed by: NelsonsMN
Rating:
Used this in the kids room for listening to lullaby CDs at bedtime and the radio during play time. Did the job faithfully for about 3.5 years, now the CD player doesn't function. Wish it would have lasted a little longer, but to think it played a CD at least 1-2 times every day for almost 4 years, I guess I can't complain! Off to buy a new model.


60.) Watch out on the price!
Reviewed by: Kirsten Finucane
Rating:
I haven't gotten this radio yet, but wanted to alert you to the price difference. The store Dependable Resource has the best price listed (including the shipping charge) but when you get to the check out it ups the shipping price from $10 to $14, making it more expensive than the one with free shipping (Electronic Express). I'll leave a review about the radio when I get it.

61.) Great present for a preteen
Reviewed by: Duo Cycler Frederick, MD USA
Rating:
We ordered this boombox for our granddaughter's 9th birthday. It was important that it would be simple to operate, not too large and be able to play both CDs and tapes as many of the young teens recorded books at her library are only available on tape. It is too bad the design did not include an audio input jack for input from an mp3 or iPod but otherwise she is very happy with the player.

62.) Good product, fine fidelity
Reviewed by: MtnMysteryReader United States
Rating:
After looking at various CD/Radio boom boxes, settled on this one and am not disappointed. Everything works well and the sound is true and pleasant. Glad I settled on this make and model.

63.) Sony CFD-S350 CD/Cassette Portable Boombox
Reviewed by: J. A. Brown Kansas
Rating:
The CFD Boombox is a good value for the cost. Sound quality is good. Light weight and easy to handle. Radio tuners are sensitive but easy to tune.

64.) Sony Boombox
Reviewed by: R. F. Romulo
Rating:
I am very satisfied with my order. I received the item much earlier than expected. Item arrived in excellent condition. Packaging was perfect. The radio is good too-quality wise and it's certainly worth more than the price I paid. Thanks ! more power !

65.) Boombox works well for my purpose
Reviewed by: A. Nabors Waldorf, MD USA
Rating:
I use this boombox in my son's room. It plays all night long and during naps during the day. It has worked without any problems. My only issue is the bass quality. If I was to use it as a regular family radio, the bass is a little light even with superbass but for our purposes, it works great.

66.) Good Product
Reviewed by: Joy
Rating:
I was amazed at how good the sound was from this portable boombox.
The only reason I gave it 4 starts instead of 5. Is the fact that my previous boombox, was REALLY old. So, therefore I was amazed at how much cheaper this one looked/was. The cheaper plastic, etc. on outside.

67.) Transaction worked out very well
Reviewed by: Nancy Lee Cox
Rating:
So far the product has worked well. It was a gift and have not heard any complaints. The delivery was timely and packaged well.

68.) SONY CFD-S350
Reviewed by: David Hoffman
Rating:
Good sound quality. A bit hard to read the buttons. The CD player goes back to track 1 if you stop play which is a pain if you are listening to an audio book. Sony claims you can leave it in PAUSE forever if you want to.

69.) Sony comes thru again
Reviewed by: D. Miller Oregon
Rating:
I purchased this Sony boombox for my brother in another state. He tells me that he now has a better boombox than any of his friends and acquaintances. Guess you can't ask for more than that. I only gave it a 4-star rating as I haven't seen and used it myself, so am reluctant to give it the top rating. I do know it's a fine-looking unit as I've seen it in stores.

70.) It does what it needs to do for me
Reviewed by: E. Anderson
Rating:
After several years, my most recent boombox from Sony finally decided to test my patient by recognizing some of my CDS when I hit the play button. I eventually had enough of not being able to listen to some of my favorite CDS and decided to junk the POS for a new boombox. I decided on the Sony CFD S350 on a whim. It was reasonably priced and the size was something I was leaning towards since I live in a small one bedroom apartment. I will admit the mega bass on the boombox isn't so hot. I have had better quality in bass in my previous Sony boomboxes however I can live with what I got. The cassette player is useless to me since cassettes have gone the way of the dinosaurs. I do like the remote control. I think it is quite handy for this music fan who is a bit lazy ;). While the boombox is far from perfect, I am quite happy with it personally. I am just happy that I can listen to all of my CDS without any problems.

71.) Good stuff!
Reviewed by: William A. Shull
Rating:
Product looks good, controls and transport/play systems seem solid. Good sound. Remote control extremely useful. Downside is that radion reception is very poor, but that is probably due to power/data lines running near the box. In short, at this point (30 days ownership and use) I'm quite satisfied. It's FAR better than the previous RCA unit which I bought, and had to return twice, the second time for a refund.

72.) Good boombox
Reviewed by: William Goodman Maryland
Rating:
This boombox sounds pretty decent, certainly better than some other small ones. The bass boost, however, doesn't seem to make much difference. Radio reception is good, in fact better than expected, and the automatic stops for cassette tapes prevent wrecking the clutch if you're ever distracted at the end of the tape. Pre-setting your favorite radio stations is also a convenience. On the whole, I'd say I got a good bargain.

73.) Bought this almost 4 years ago and still love it
Reviewed by: newmom
Rating:
We bought this boombox for my son's room soon after he was born. I love that it has a remote. Being able to adjust the music from the rocking chair while rocking my son to sleep was great. We use this boombox every night and often during the day as well. We've been very happy with the durability of this item (it's done well through 3 moves) and the sound quality. The only thing I would change about this unit is it's size. Although we've never had a problem placing the boombox on the dresser or shelf of my son's room, it does take up more space than I'd like. That won't stop us from buying a second one for my daughter's room, though.

74.) Good Value - with REMOTE
Reviewed by: S. Lewis Sandwich Isles, USA
Rating:
Bought this as gift for Dad - main features were size and the remote control. Did my own preview at BestBuy before ordering from Amazon. Ease of use was key and the remote makes that possible. Sound quality is very acceptable. Fact that it handles the old cassettes in addition to CD's is a plus. Friend of Dad's liked it so much, she bought one also. Watch Amazon price; it fluctuates about $5.00 on regular basis.

75.) Boombox for boomers
Reviewed by: Philip J. Meyers, CBC Durand, IL USA
Rating:
This is a fine boombox for boomers who have an old collection of tapes but are also getting into CDs. Good sound, easy to operate. The radio is a nice plus.

76.) Great CD-Tape copies
Reviewed by: Kirk Rogers Guinea
Rating:
This unit makes very good quality cassette copies of CDs, which is important in my work as a missionary in Africa. Most other units I have tried add a terrible hiss to the audio CD.

77.) Sony CFD-S350 CD/Cassette Portable Boombox
Reviewed by: Carol Becker Fort Bragg, CA USA
Rating:
Looks good. Seems like a tight machine except for the cover. I worry that it may not be as durable as it should be. Top isn't immediately responsive with light finger pressure (to open lid). I don't like to push hard as it seems that these products aren't as durable as those of earlier manufacture. If the lid holds up then I'd give this a 5 star rating. Don't use batteries in it now so I can't rate its use of such. Love the remote control feature. Sound is great. Bass feature is a bit weak but I like less heavy bass so I'm happy with the range. Clean sound production. Nice range of volume.

78.) NOT a boombox, but worth the $50.00
Reviewed by: Zappmacca Florida
Rating:
I finally broke down and bought this unit a couple of weeks ago. I use it at low volumes, while out with my daughter at the park, or at night to go to sleep to. If you are looking for a BOOMBOX, look elsewhere. The Sony XPLOD is a very good choice at around $100.00. But the XPLOD is hardly what I would consider portable, as it weighs 21 pounds without the 8 D batteries installed. The CDF-S350 is about what you can expect for fifty dollars. Target has had it on sale for $49.95.

79.) Poor quality control
Reviewed by: LAB RAT Vancouver BC
Rating:
I wanted this product to be delivered to someone in time for Christmas. I ordered it in plenty of time. It arrived 5 days before Christmas without the power cord, batteries, or remote. Thanks to Amazon and me having a stroke on the phone a new one was shipped ASAP and the old was returned. Make sure you give yourself extra time because no one is looking at these shipments before they are sent out.

80.) So far so good!
Reviewed by: Lone coyote Cape Coral, FL
Rating:
I really can't say yet because I won't know until I go on vacation, to the beach or camping. But so far i think it'll be fine.

81.) Mega Bass doesn't make a difference
Reviewed by: T. Johnson Central New Jersey
Rating:
I had my old Sony Boombox for 11 years & it finally gave out. I saw this one; it looked nice and had all the same basics as my old one. I needed a simple player & this one fit the bill. Many others look too "space age" to me.

When I got it, I put in a CD and it didn't sound like it had much bass. I turned on the Mega Bass & it didn't sound any different. At least with my old Sony you could tell when the Mega Bass was on. Because of the lack of bass I think it's an OK player.

I took my children to a local play gym/arcade, and they had the Sony CFD-F10 there. It sounded great! Sad to say, it makes me wish I did a little more comparing, the extra $10-$15 dollars seems worth it.


82.) Eats batteries
Reviewed by: Mary Anne in Alameda CA, USA
Rating:
Good sound for a small boombox but potential buyers should be aware that battery life is very short. Six Energizer size "D" batteries will only power the system for about 5 hours! The user guide says 7 hours but we have not found that to be true after 3 sets of batteries. Not a problem if the unit is plugged in but we bought it to use outside.

83.) It's Okay
Reviewed by: Dezire long island, ny
Rating:
The boombox is okay but I'm afraid it'll break in no time if I'm not careful with the CD component. The part that comes down on the CD seems loose and have to be very careful when playing the discs.

F.Y.I. You can't play recordable discs or bootlegs on there. So that sucked

84.) it's okay
Reviewed by: Just G Connecticut, USA
Rating:
The sound of this boombox is good, but the cover of the CD player is plastic and seems cheap. I fear that it won't be long before the cover breaks.


In all fairness - I have now owned this box for three years, and it still works fine; the cover did not break.

85.) Not as great as the hype
Reviewed by: T. Boddie
Rating:
I bought this thinking it would be a really great value. The sound is hollow; "MEGA" bass is a joke. AND, the thing that really is a bummer is that you don't have the option to play your CD's with the random/repeat functions. I would not buy this again if given the choice.

86.) Not worth the money
Reviewed by: Ravi Burla Gainesville, FL, USA
Rating:
I got this boombox couple of weeks back and it seems to work fine. But I felt that this does not live upto the level of Sony. The sound quality is ok, but not very impressive. There is an option of Mega Bass Boost in this one, which does not seem to work, there is no appreciable change in the sound quality with/without Mega Bass Boost. Overall its not worth the money.
I sincerely feel that there are boomboxes out there with same performance as sony but much much cheaper.

87.) 67% satisfied
Reviewed by: Kimberley Rutigliano
Rating:
I have purchased 6 of these players for use in a childcare setting in the past year. The CD player on 2 have already broken and in niether case was able to send them in under the warranty. Taking into account that they are in use here approx 50 hours/week; they are pretty durable. However, they are not as indestructable as I needed them to be for the price.

88.) Works good -- for a while
Reviewed by: Joy Charles Sacramento, CA United States
Rating:
I purchased this item back in March 2008. I don't use it as often as most people do, so I was quite surprised when I realized that I started having problems with it within a year of buying it. When I bought it, I was willing to pay a higher price thinking that I was getting a better product. But by March 2009, the CD player was skipping regularly. From then one it kept getting worse. Now, it fails considerably more than it works - skipping, skipping, skipping, even from the moment you turn it on: it doesn't allow me to use it regularly. The tape player still works great, but I think that that's because I hardly ever use it. Not worth the price.

89.) Great for the price paid
Reviewed by: BenJammin Monterey, CA
Rating:
I wanted a decent quality battery operated radio and CD player. (The tape player was something I didn't need.) Mainly for the garage and emergencies. This Sony is it. I looked at the off brands and found them to be of very poor quality no matter what price range.
This Sony is no way a "boom box" type player, but it serves as a great radio and CD player for my garage. It's very eye appealing and kind of futuristic looking. I listen to talk radio more than music and when I use it for music, I don't have it anywhere near full volume. I use my home stereo for that.
It serves me well for the price I paid and what I expect from a "portable" radio; tape and cd player.

90.) OK for CD, but tape player's gone already
Reviewed by: Ralph M. Trksak
Rating:
Have used this unit mostly for the tape player. Noticed that the tape keys for forward/reverse seemed to stick. Now, after 10 tapes or so, the play key has jammed, indicating poor quality. I am expecting the CD player to do the same.

However, the remote was interesting. It actually worked (though I'll probably rarely use it).

91.) Obituary of a CD Player
Reviewed by: Nichole Moorer
Rating:
As a music teacher, I use my classroom CD player all day. Sony is a great company, so I trusted this one would last. The volume would go louder than other small boom-boxes, but not quite loud enough for my 26-person classes. It lasted about 7 months.
Now when I try to use it, it acts like the CD is skipping, even new CDs. Perhaps it needs to be repaired? Either way, I'm disappointed in Sony.

92.) Does the Job Fine for Us
Reviewed by: Stephanie DePue Carolina Beach, NC USA
Rating:
We've had this Sony boom box with CD player for somewhat less than a year; we use it, for perhaps an hour, a couple of times a week, to practice our dancing down in the party room. We also use it on occasion in the living room, because the big sound system is just so burdensome to use just to listen to one or two disks. Our previous boom box/CD player, by another company that we thought we could trust, died in less than a year; that's why we bought this one. I note that other reviewers find this product is poorly made, but so far, we've been happy with it. And, more to the point, everywhere we go, I see people using this brand and model machine; seems to me therefore, that they must be satisfied with it, as we are. But I'll get back to you if it dies in a year.

93.) A little disappointing
Reviewed by: D. Holmes So Cal
Rating:
I guess for the price it's OK, but:
- The speakers are not very good.
- I have a 25-year old Sony that has much better sound AND graphic equalizer controls; all this unit has is a "MEGA BASS" button.
- The manual station tuning buttons are very inconvenient and slow.
- I tried to pre-set stations 3 times and couldn't get it to work (YES the directions were clear; NO I'm not an idiot...it just didn't work!).

94.) Works great ... while it works.
Reviewed by: J. Bosch Seattle, WA USA
Rating:
This is the second Sony portable CD player I've had that played fine until just after the warranty expired. In both cases, the CD player at first started skipping, then refused to play or recognize CDs. This is not a dust or cleaning issue, but a problem with the manufacturing that apparently either causes the optics to go out of alignment, or the motor to spin either at the wrong rotation rate or at a variable rate. (I guess it could also be a problem with the stepper motor that moves the optics in and out to follow the tracks.) No matter the cause, I won't buy another Sony CD player. Shame they bought Iawa too, because now I can't trust that brand either.

I spent about 15 years servicing industrial and broadcast audio and video equipment, and what one engineer said (somewhat jokingly) then applies now: "Sony products are great, as long as they have no moving parts."

95.) Sony forgot how to make a boombox
Reviewed by: alphacygnus Durham, NC
Rating:
I bought this boombox last year for my daughter, based in part on the customer reviews from Amazon. While it looks attractive in my daughter's room and the remote control is a nice feature, that's about it. The controls on the boombox are cheaply made and are not as well thought out as I would expect from Sony. Programming stations is awkward, and as other people have mentioned, the MegaBass isn't much. Which brings me to the sound of this component. Frankly, it's terrible. The high frequencies sound distorted and are very fatiguing to listen to over time. What low frequencies this unit produces are distorted within the plastic cabinet. The midrange (where most of the musical information exists) is almost non-existant. My daughter loves to listen to Ella Fitzgerald and Jaco Pastorius, but the sound is so disappointing that she doesn't listen very much on this boombox. Ella's voice sounds pinched and distorted and Jazz horns are unbearably bright and distorted. My daughter prefers to listen to music on our 10 year old Magnavox boombox instead. I would recommend that people purchase something besides this unit or at least listen to this unit before making a decision. Maybe I got a bad unit, but it sounds really awful.

96.) CD player stops working
Reviewed by: J. Larson
Rating:
The sound quality is good and the remote and sleep features are really handy. I don't like that shuffle-repeat mode isn't randomized; it shuffles then replays in the same order. You have to open the CD lid and close it again then re-select shuffle-repeat to reshuffle in a different order.

The deal-breaker, though, is that the CD player stopped working -- twice. I've gone through two of these radios in three years; in both cases the CD player quit working after about 18 months. The player simply won't read the disk. From looking at reviews of other Sony products, this is a brand-wide issue. I won't be buying another Sony radio.

97.) Great sound, but poor quality construction!
Reviewed by: Book Lover Boca Raton, FL
Rating:
I got this to listen to books on tape both CD and cassette. At first I was very happy due to the great sound. I was ready to order another one. Then less than a week later, the play button on the cassette player wouldn't work. I called Sony and they said I would have to mail it back so they could check it out. I asked if there was a local place to bring it and they said no, you just have to mail back (at my expense). I am just going to return it to the place I purchased it and look for another sturdier model Very disappointed. Hope I can find another model that has CD/cassette and possibly MP3 that has a decent sound and that I can have for a while without it breaking down. Disappointed in Sony as I always thought Sony was so great.

98.) Sony Boombox S-350 problems
Reviewed by: G. Angle Dallas, Texas, USA
Rating:
I received a Sony CDF S350 for Xmas, and thought that with the remote control device, it would be just what I needed. However, after a few weeks, the lid over the cd wouldn't stay down, and now when I push hard enough to make it stay, the screen says "No CD". Also, the tone on bass setting is really not different.

99.) Poor FM and NO bass
Reviewed by: J. Skinner Nebraska
Rating:
This looks like a nice unit but has no low frequency at all. As other reviewers say Mega Bass does almost nothing. Also it could not pick up local high power stations with serious hiss.

The CD & cassette had clean sound, but NO low end.

I returned this one. Not worth it.

100.) After 18 months I have a radio player
Reviewed by: MIKO Kansas City, MO USA
Rating:
I wanted to be writing a favorable review after 18 months but the cd and tape player quit working at the same time. Now I have a 70 dollar radio. The battery life has always been good. The sound has always been average. Does anyone make a dependable cd player?

101.) Disappointing but no
Reviewed by: Wednesday Torrance, CA United States
Rating:
A gift to replace another sony boombox that did not last, would not have been my choice, but I was hopeful. Returned the first one, too often told me it could not read a CD other machines could. The second lasted nearly two years of light duty, the CD player quit and didn't work well after a year. I expected better but my midrange sony DVD/VCR lasted about the same. No longer a name for quality and longevity.


102.) Cd player stopped working
Reviewed by: Phillip Broussard Lookout Mtn, GA
Rating:
Bought this for my wife and it worked fine for about 1 year. Then the CD player would not recognize CD's, neither commercial ones or ones burned at home. I have seen a pattern in CD players of using a poor design for the player. Rats.

103.) Disappointing Sony Product
Reviewed by: Penguin Fairfax
Rating:
We have always received good quality for price from Sony. The cassette
player simply does not work properly. The play and eject/stop buttons
regularly jam, making it hard to use. I don't recommend this product. The
only reason that we are not returning it is the difficult return process, i.e.,
contact the seller, obtain return authorization, stand in line at the USPS or
UPS.



104.) Weak cassette movement
Reviewed by: N. L. Bernier
Rating:
The movement of the cassette tape is too slow. It gets weaker toward the end of the reel.

105.) Boom box with no boom
Reviewed by: GreatGranDadflh Fort Worth, TX
Rating:
I didn't keep it for very long so I cannot review the battery life. It has average sound quality but it's shape is larger than necessary for the small speakers inside. Has rather weak, shallow sound.

106.) cheap
Reviewed by: Daniel C. Greene
Rating:
Worked ok for a while, sounds average. Problem is the CD door broke off its hinge and now I can't play CDs as it needs to be tightly closed to play a CD. This was not unusual usage either, the door is poorly made.

107.) I love my Sony CD/Radio-It's so Portable!
Reviewed by: J. Buehring
Rating:
My new Sony CD/Radio is wonderful! It is so portable-never a hassle to move it from space to space!
Thank you- and such a value! jan

108.) SONY - cheaply made, and HORRIBLE customer service ... what warranty???
Reviewed by: MVM
Rating:
Well, up until recently I was really pretty high on Sony products. But no longer. We bought this unit just under a year ago and the "PLAY" button broke with moderate use. After disassembling the unit, I found that the buttons (especially PLAY, FF, and REW) are all cantilevered away from the cassette handling mechanism. When you combine that with the very thin piece of plastic connecting the button to the mechanism, you have something that's designed to fail. Very poor design, and Sony could easily have done a better job by simply using more plastic in that area. So, since the unit was still under warranty for parts, I called and asked for a new button. No deal! They said that they could only sell me an entire unit, refurbished, or I would have to pay them to put in a new button "for safety reasons". Oh, maybe I could PURCHASE a new button, but they weren't sure.

Let me see the warranty says: "... Sony will supply, at no charge, new or rebuilt replacements in exchange for defective parts for a period of one (1) year. After 90 days from the date of purchase, labor for removal and installation is available from Sony authorized service facilities or a Sony Service Center at your expense." Available? More like "mandatory". They simply would NOT send me a new button, under the terms of their warranty. All they could do was refer me to the "Executive Resolution Committee" - c'mon - for a button???

What is Sony thinking? We are talking about a little plastic button here! Well, the story is not yet over. I FedEx'd the Committee a copy of my purchase reciept, Sony's warranty, and the details of the problem.

We'll see if Sony stands behind their warranty promises - or not. Stay tuned ...

1/7/07 - update - Sony phoned me directly after receiving the FedEx documentation and offered to replace the box if I paid to ship the old one to them. So at least I wouldn't have to pay about $30 for the refurbished unit (although the FedEx to the Executive Committee cost me about $12). Cost another $12 via FedEx ground to ship back the broken unit (repair facility is about 100 miles from here). Got a refurbished unit back in about a week - total cost of about $25. Pretty good service - but still disappointing to learn that their own service representative agreed with my assessment of the situation. Too bad their warranty statements aren't representative of the actual warranty policy - you can either pay them to fix it, or you can pay for a whole new (refurbished) unit. But to actually get a replacement part that fails under warranty replaced? Forget it!

109.) Very disappointed
Reviewed by: JT Kansas
Rating:
I was looking for a small, no-frills radio/CD player and settled on the Sony CFD-S350 for its size, cost, and my opinion that it was one of the least ugly players at the stores I shopped. I've had it for six months and have been quite disappointed. The first thing I noticed was that the FM sensitivity was poor. My 21 year old Sanyo dual cassette player has a much better radio. Programming the presets was easy.

Unfortunately if you unplug the radio for any period of time, say to move it to another room (or in my case, I have it plugged into a power strip that I switch off with some other devices), and plug it back in the radio defaults to 87.5 FM instead of the last used setting. Sometimes after being unplugged it will default to CD mode instead of the radio. I tried to get around this by installing batteries thinking that it would at least have the power to keep its memory, but that didn't work. In fact, it won't even use the batteries unless you remove the AC cord from the radio -- just unplugging it from the wall isn't enough! This is due to a switch in the power jack on the radio. Oh, another thing that it forgets when this happens is the volume setting so it defaults to a certain level. It's quite annoying to turn the radio on and have it default to loud static on 87.5 FM.

The "megabass" feature makes very little difference in how this system sounds.

The remote is nice and it lets you select a track to play from the CD as opposed to the unit itself which only lets you go forward or backward through the track list, but even when using the keypad on the remote expect a significant delay before the track begins to play as it seems to take a while to find the right track -- much longer than other CD players I've seen.

The sleep mode is nice since I occasionally like to listen to some programs late at night. No more waking up in the middle of the night to find the radio still on!

Overall I have found it to be very poorly designed, both from a human factors and electronic standpoint. I'm currently looking at moving it to a room where it would be permanently plugged in to resolve the power-on issues, and then buying something more robust for my regular use.

110.) liked it, until the cd player stopped working
Reviewed by: 12568 texas
Rating:
Only had it for 6 months and already it won't play my cd's, so now it's basically a very overpriced fm radio, with relatively poor reception on many stations. Very annoying. I expect more from Sony. This is the only Sony boombox I have tried. I have a Philips at home, which I've had about 8 years and still works like a charm.

111.) Don't Waste Your Money
Reviewed by: Yabuisha Outer Space
Rating:
I bought this to replace a refurbished Phillips boom box I bought online for $30 that had served me for over a decade before it's CD player went out. The Sony is a piece of junk. I'm a pro musician and I use a boombox to learn the bass lines to songs (I play electric bass), and to jam along. This has NO bass. I mean NONE. The Mega-Bass, as another reviewed said, does nothing. Second, the treble is awful, too! The best test of treble is to listen to cymbals. If you've ever played drums, or listened to live drums, you know the crisp, sizzling sound of real cymbals. One this box, cymbals sound really mushy, and almost sound like they're being played through a phase shifter. This is a really, really bad boom box, and for what you pay - not cheap either.

112.) do not purchase
Reviewed by: Parvati
Rating:
I purchased this (9/08) for my new baby to help her fall asleep. The tape deck did not work from the beginning. Later I pushed the play button down really hard and it played tapes for a few minutes or so and stopped working. I was busy with the baby and didn't care that much about the tape player anyway. It was more important that the cd work. The cd player was working fine until three weeks ago. Now it will not play any cd's. Now that we have broken the sleep time routine, my baby will not fall asleep and I am extremely frustrated. The item should not stop working after 5 months. I purchased this item due to the good reviews. I spoke to Sony today and they said I would have to pay $31 for a replacement unit. I paid $77 total at amazon and should not be asked to pay another $31 for a unit that should still be working. I posted a complaint at sonysyle.com which is all that I can do. Hopefully Sony will send another unit - I will post an update if that happens.

113.) CD keeps skipping, after only 2 weeks of use -- Subpar SONY
Reviewed by: Straight Up Sam
Rating:
This is a subpar Sony product. After only a week of use we found that it became "ultra sensitive" to people walking near it. It would stop playing the CD for a couple of seconds and then resume. After 2 weeks it got worse; this time when people walked near it (presumably caused by the vibrations of the floor), the player started skipping while playing as if the CD were defective. We were playing a high quality original recording CD when this happened but it happens with *all* our CDs now. Definitely returning this unit. Otherwise it looks good. Mega bass could use a lot of boosting as you can barely tell it's got any bass. Disappointed in Sony as this used to be there "bread & butter", i.e. portable players.

114.) Very Poor Construction - Buyer Beware
Reviewed by: A thru H So. Calif
Rating:
The Sony name does not stand for quality, anymore. Less than 1 year ago, I purchased 2 of these, giving one to a relative as a gift. Since we still have a few audio cassette tapes we like to listen to, this unit seemed like a good combination audio player for us. However, on both units the PLAY buttons have broken. I can now see how poorly and cheaply designed these button are made.

Called Sony on the phone...here is their best offer. They want me to ship both units to them, at my cost of course. While they will include the buttons at no charge (approx $2.00 each) the labor to replace them will run about $77.00 per unit! Interesting the labor charge alone is about the same cost as a new unit! What kind of warranty protection is this? No way am I going to let them rip me off like this anymore. I am totally done with Sony!!!

115.) Very poor quality CD player
Reviewed by: Christian music lover
Rating:
First unit purchased the CD went out at about 6 months. Thought it may have simply been a dud. Bought second unit, also because of the remote. CD on unit lasted about 10 months. Warranty is 3 months, that figures.

Two dud's and you're out!

116.) SONY CFD s350 review - top breaks off - DO NOT BUY!
Reviewed by: Joe Morris Elmwood Park, NJ
Rating:
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2T0T66URZ9I3O I've had two of these

Poorly constructed - the top comes off

Absolutely worthless. Can't believe Sony put out such a piece of garbage. Usually they're better than this

DO NOT BUY!!

117.) JUNKY PERFORMANCE, FROM AN AEROBICS INSTRUCTOR
Reviewed by: history buff palm desert, ca
Rating:
I BOUGHT THIS ATTRACTIVE, SONY (THINKING QUALITY) BOOM BOX TO PLAY CD MUSIC DURING THE CLASSES I TEACH IN WATER AEROBICS.

THE FIRST TIME I USED IT, IT WOULD JUMP AROUND ON THE CD.
THE SECOND TIME I USED IT, IT JUST STOPPED PLAYING. ONE OF THE CLASS PARTICIPANTS SAID SHE ALSO FOUND THIS PRODUCT TO BE INFERIOR AND HAD GIVEN IT TO HER GRANDCHILDREN TO PLAY WITH.

I AM RETURNING MINE FOR THE LARGER, UGLIER SONY BOOM BOXES. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME THIS PURCHASE WAS!

118.) I suggest you buy something else
Reviewed by: D. Lamarche
Rating:
I think the sound is bad. It doesn't have good treble and has poor bass. I used the headphone jack and pluged my computer speakers in it. I had therefore a more decent sound to listen to.

Also, I found this boombox cheaply made and pricey. I paid nearly $100 CAN ($80 USD) for this including shipping. I bought it because I thought when a product has the name sony, is expensive and is highly rated it has to be good. However, I don't think it is a good product even if you get it for half that price.

Bottom line is I would have spend my money on something else if I knew how bad the sound was. You can find used vintage sony boombox with cd/cassette player for less than $50 USD. Those from the 90's are well made and powerful. If you can find one in good or excellent condition then why wasting your money elsewhere?



119.) CD isn't working
Reviewed by: Marjorie J. Howard COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US
Rating:
I had not tried the CD player until today and it does nothing. The manuel wasn't much help to me.

120.) I should have bought a cheaper boom box.
Reviewed by: mom2cats Texas
Rating:
Bought it for my classroom. I had hardly used it before it wouldn't read CDs... "No Disk"... "No Disk"... "No Disk"

Other teachers' boom boxes were a lot cheaper, and they're still working!

121.) Unfornately Defective
Reviewed by: Francina G. Still
Rating:
I received this product and it last for one day. The unfortunate part was the return policy which I take responsibility in not fully reading, said that I would have to return it to the Sony Company. I incurred the shipping fee and much phone time with Sony. In 2-3 weeks time I received a replacement and it worked. In the future I will not buy any products e.g, Sony who have this policy or any store that sells their product and will not help you in that you purchased it from that specific store I was not very pleased at all I have bought many products from Amazon and have loved my shopping, returning experience, that is up until this nightmare return saga. People beware of buying Sony products you have to return and incur the extra expense.

122.) Sony loses my loyalty
Reviewed by: Kyp
Rating:
I've had many Sony products in the past and thought they were great. I wonder if the "modern" Sony has given up their high quality standards that got them their good reputation.
None of the push buttons on this "thing" have worked properly since soon after I purchased it. The tuner buttons just do what they want - I push volume down and it changes the radio station I'm listening to, etcetera. The circuit boards under the plastic housing just don't function correctly. I don't know for sure if they malfunction or just don't have the right support so that when you press a button it does not function correctly.
I'm always touching the cd cover somehow. It's poorly placed and is clumsy to work with. The cd cover is always popping open dumping the cd out.

Sorry folks...... I just hate this thing. Real junk as far as I'm concerned.

123.) Bad buy
Reviewed by: Global Warming
Rating:
In the last five years, Sony leads the industry in customer complaints and this product is in line with Sony's poor performance. The distortion level is so acute that it's impossible to enjoy a cassette, the CD does only slightly better. One wonders how anybody who likes music could be satisfied with this product. However, it is good for listening to news, and talk radio. The AM and FM reception is really good. But this one's not for anyone who likes music, even a child will be unhappy with it. Plus, the buttons are so poorly made that they fall off if you aren't careful.

124.) Steer Clear
Reviewed by: Redrum Buffalo, NY
Rating:
If you are intereted in no bass whatsoever, this is the unit for you.

Normally, you could trust the Sony Engineers for allowing nothing but quality out the door, but this must have snuck through...

Features of Sony CFD-S350 CD/Cassette Portable Boombox (Silver)

The CFD-S350SILVER, CD Radio Cassette Recorder, Digital AM/FM Stereo Tuner, CD-R/RW Playback Compatibility1, 10-Key Remote Commander Remote Control, 20 Track RMS Programming , Mega Bass Sound System--Supplied Accessories: -AC Power Cord & Remote Control --Silver

Take high quality music with you wherever you roam with the stylish Sony CFD-S350 boombox. With a CD player, as well as a cassette deck and radio tuner, you can play those favorites you still have on tape, as well as audio CDs and CD-R/RWs.

The built in "Wide Stage" convex speakers offer rich bass and crisp highs, giving you dynamic sound at your next backyard party or beach outing. A clear LCD display makes it easy to control CD, radio and cassette functions. With 20-track RMS programming, you can play your CD music in the order you choose, and there are shuffle and repeat modes, as well. Meanwhile, synchronized CD/cassette dubbing makes it easy to make mix tapes of your favorite tunes. Lastly, a slim 10-key remote control lets you control the unit from afar.

What's in the Box
CFD-S350 CD radio cassette recorder, AC power cord, remote control.

1.) Portable boombox with CD player, cassette deck, and digital AM/FM tuner;
2.) Compatible with audio CD, CD-R, and CD-RW formats;
3.) Wide Stage convex speakers provide rich bass and crisp highs;
4.) 20-track programming, shuffle and repeat modes, and synchro CD/cassette dubbing;
5.) Includes slim 10-key remote control; measures 16.3 x 6.45 x 10.12 inches (W x H x D);

Package Height x Length x Width: 18.6 in. x 18.6 in. x 13.2 in.
Package Weight: 9.2 lbs.

Accessories for Sony CFD-S350 CD/Cassette Portable Boombox (Silver)